Firm at times wins a complicated job providing direction to a crew overseas (8)
I believe the answer is:
coxswain
'job providing direction to a crew overseas' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'firm at times wins a complicated' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'at' says to put letters next to each other.
'times' becomes 'x' (multiplication sign).
'complicated' indicates anagramming the letters (a complex or confusing ordering of the letters).
'wins'+'a'='winsa'
'winsa' anagrammed gives 'swain'.
'co'+'x'+'swain'='COXSWAIN'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for coxswain that I've seen before include "Person in charge of a lifeboat" , "one over the eight" , "one steers" , "Wax icons (anag)" , "Person steering a boat" .)